Getting toned up at 50

screwjack

screwjack

Winger
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 


screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Get a sit-up bench, hardwork but very effective if you can get into a daily routine.
 
screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
When you say toning up, do you mean increasing muscle mass or reducing fat? Toning on its own means nowt, a muscle either grows or shrinks due to hypertrophy or atrophy and muscles are either visible due to reducing fat or hidden due to being chubbier
 
screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

My mates got that gym wont give his name on here but hes a good lad and he will help you out with anything you need if you go in and have a chat with him
 
screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Good luck, at 38 I'm finding it difficult, that being said I'm a greedy bugger.

I have been going to boxing classes, which focus on core workouts 3 times a week and they are helping, but as you get older, just knocking your pan in exercising isn't enough.

I would get some light weights and some resistance bands and shadow box, skip etc, get them fast twitching fibres moving again and engage your core. Quick pressups with good from, Wide, normal narrow, squats etc

you will have to think about nutrition, exercises and rest, which you seem to be doing to be fair.
screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

you can absolutely do it at home, few dumbbells, a bench, a skipping rope, medicine ball and you can do most things. They may be even some second hand clobber going on the usual sites post covid.

The old ones are the best,

Press ups in various forms
sit ups in various forms
Squats in various forms
shadow box
skip
planks
leg raises

all achievable in your sitting room.
 
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screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
At your advanced age I’d focus on steroids, viagra and protein.
 
Ned Land said:
At your advanced age I’d focus on steroids, viagra and protein.
Click to expand...

instant success and bucking, where to I sign.
Ned Land said:
At your advanced age I’d focus on steroids, viagra and protein.
Click to expand...

Apparently al lot of the youngsters are on something called sarms? no idea what it is but they reckon its like steroids without a lot of the side effects. Not for me mind, I like the feeling of my doms, the worse the better. Like little thank yous from my body to my brain.
 
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Wild Card said:
instant success and bucking, where to I sign.
Click to expand...
My over 50s gym!

I’m glad you took it in a light hearted manner.

There’s loads of good advice on this forum. If you’ve sorted out your diet and want to add exercise, then it’s best to find something that you enjoy imho.

I weight train x3 per week as it’s important to maintain/increase strength and there are lots of benefits.

But you could take it as an opportunity to try out anything that interests you.

Bear in mind that when you exercise you can often over compensate with food. When I ran regularly I would eat like a hoss and I ended up skinny fat.

For an ‘athletic’ approach you could take a look at athlean-x on YouTube.

Edit: sorry most of the reply should have been for the OP. @screwjack
 
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Ned Land said:
At your advanced age I’d focus on steroids, viagra and protein.
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thanks hen x
maygo said:
When you say toning up, do you mean increasing muscle mass or reducing fat? Toning on its own means nowt, a muscle either grows or shrinks due to hypertrophy or atrophy and muscles are either visible due to reducing fat or hidden due to being chubbier
Click to expand...
well,there's not a lot of fat on me,so probably more increasing muscle mass
Wild Card said:
Good luck, at 38 I'm finding it difficult, that being said I'm a greedy bugger.

I have been going to boxing classes, which focus on core workouts 3 times a week and they are helping, but as you get older, just knocking your pan in exercising isn't enough.

I would get some light weights and some resistance bands and shadow box, skip etc, get them fast twitching fibres moving again and engage your core. Quick pressups with good from, Wide, normal narrow, squats etc

you will have to think about nutrition, exercises and rest, which you seem to be doing to be fair.


you can absolutely do it at home, few dumbbells, a bench, a skipping rope, medicine ball and you can do most things. They may be even some second hand clobber going on the usual sites post covid.

The old ones are the best,

Press ups in various forms
sit ups in various forms
Squats in various forms
shadow box
skip
planks
leg raises

all achievable in your sitting room.
Click to expand...
cheers!
 
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screwjack said:
well,51 actually.....
i've been eating healthy for a few month,lost quite a bit of weight...now i feel it's time to start toning up.
any tips on how to do this....?
can i do it at home without weights,or is it best to join a gym ( Evolution in Houghton would probably be the best for me )
any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
I’ve found a group workout has helped me loads, 6am 3 times a week and it’s changed my life.
 
Exercised all my life ,footy

Rode off road motorbikes all my life
All out work out and cardio
Builds neck ,arms ,stomach ,legs

Weight up and down due to beer and food
Cut back on all the above now so watching weight and just putting the steps in and hikes etc
Never liked gyms and my legs,joints etc have had a life of knocks so happy to plod on
 
I'm 40 recently and in the best shape I've ever been. There's no shortcuts really man, resistance train 2-3x a week, keep progressively overloading the weights, lift with good form and eat in a maintenance/slight surplus if you're happy with your body fat. Definitely find a programme and follow it for 6 months minimum, just going in and doing random things won't make your workouts as effective as they could be.
 
I am 57. A full blown alcoholic with a six pack. Bodyweight exercises are your way forward. Press ups, sit ups, chins, dips. Don't get drawn into anything heavy. Run (or walk fast). Cycle. I have just signed up for Total Warrior Great Northern Mud Run near Leeds. Don't let age slow you down, that is bollocks - just watch your joints and listen to your body. If your knees hurt, they hurt for a reason. Swim if nothing else.
 
Calculate how to put yourself into a slight calorie deficit and aim to lose 1/2 pounds per week. Intense cardio is completely unnecessary (unless you really enjoy it) and I'd aim to just do some light cardiovascular work (a good walk) a few times per week.
In terms of 'toning up'. I would do a full body workout 3 times per week, either in the gym or get yourself a bench and some dumbbells. Try this. Experiment so that the last 2 reps should be a challenge. When you get stronger and its no longer a challenge, add some weight. Try this routine, 3 times per week for a month and this will really get you going. Make sure you eat plenty of protein.

Overhead Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell bench Press 4 sets of 12 reps.
Bentover Barbell Rows 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Squats 4 sets of 12 reps.
Sit ups 3 sets of 20 (or whatever you can).
 
Idlewild Mackem said:
I'm 40 recently and in the best shape I've ever been. There's no shortcuts really man, resistance train 2-3x a week, keep progressively overloading the weights, lift with good form and eat in a maintenance/slight surplus if you're happy with your body fat. Definitely find a programme and follow it for 6 months minimum, just going in and doing random things won't make your workouts as effective as they could be.
Click to expand...
Do you know any decent sites/apps for programmes? I tend to do a bit of this and that but need structure really.
 
Arfa Sleep said:
Do you know any decent sites/apps for programmes? I tend to do a bit of this and that but need structure really.
Click to expand...
I get coached by someone so haven't really used an app. The ones I used before I took from T-Nation, but having a coach made me more accountable which is what I needed. This 3 day a week plan is pretty good How To Build Superhero Muscle and then this is always good for someone getting started out I've been told: Stronglifts 5×5: The Complete Workout Guide [2024] | Stronglifts
 

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